More than 1 per cent of people across the planet right now are caught up in major humanitarian crises. The international humanitarian system is more effective than ever at meeting their needs – but global trends including poverty, population growth and climate change are leaving more people than ever vulnerable to the devastating impacts of conflicts and disasters.

On Monday 16 October 2017 the Council adopted the EU Annual Report on Human Rights And Democracy in the World in 2016.

2016 was a challenging year for human rights and democracy, with a shrinking space for civil society and complex humanitarian and political crises emerging. In this context, the European Union showed leadership and remained strongly committed to promote and protect human rights and democracy across the world.

Nepal: Crossings on the India–Nepal border have been closed since late September as a result of protests, leading to fuel shortages that are severely hampering humanitarian assistance. Of particular concern are 400,000 people living in remote areas who cannot be reached during winter and need winterisation supplies. Hospitals in Terai region are reporting acute shortages of medicine, while food and cooking-gas shortages are reported across the country.

Syria: 1 million more people are in need of humanitarian assistance than a year ago, as the total is now at 13.5 million. 6.6 million people are internally displaced, with 120,000 newly displaced in Aleppo, Hama, and Idleb governorates. Shelter, food, and WASH are reported as priority needs for the newly displaced.

El Salvador: More than 100,000 farmers are estimated to be affected by crop losses due to a prolonged dry-spell. Up to 60% of the total maize crop has been lost in the affected areas. An estimated 156,000 people are facing Crisis (IPC Phase 3) food security outcomes, mainly in eastern and western regions.

Bangladesh: 1.5 million people are affected by flooding, which has displaced around 320,000 people in the areas of Cox's Bazar, Chittagong, and Bandarban. Shelter, WASH and food security are key priorities. 15 out 24 rivers are over danger levels as heavy rainfall continues.

Libya: An estimated 2,244 people have died this year as a result of conflict, and nearly one-third of the country’s population is affected. Humanitarian access remains severely restricted.

Ebola in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea: Transmission remains high, and case numbers doubled between the last week of August and the first of September in Liberia; in Sierra Leone 150 cases were reported for each of the last two weeks. Fewer cases have been reported in Guinea – 49 between 5 and 7 September – but the case fatality rate has been extremely high, at 65%.

Syria: Only 41% of Syria’s public hospitals are fully operational. The latest in a number of local truces around Damascus has been agreed between state forces and opposition in Qadam. 191,369 people were reported killed March 2011–April 2014, mainly in Rural Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Idleb, Dar’a and Hama, according to new UN figures.

Yemen: The 9 August Al Jawf ceasefire has been broken. Access to people affected by the conflict in Al Jawf is extremely limited due to persistent insecurity, and it is very difficult to obtain information. Almost 3,000 people have died in violence since the National Dialogue Conference took place on 25 January.

Central African Republic: The CAR President Catherine Samba-Panza named a Muslim as the new Prime Minister. Renewed clashes have displaced 20,000 people in Batafango (Ouham) since July and 17,000 people in Bambari (Ouaka) since June. A total of 890 security incidents were recorded in 2014, hampering humanitarian access.

OPt: As a 72-hour truce begins, 1,179 civilians have been reported killed since Operation Protective Edge started. A third of the population of the Gaza Strip – 485,000 people – have been displaced, an increase of 270,000 since last week. Most IDPs are staying in schools, which are severely overcrowded. The health system is overwhelmed.

An earthquake with magnitude 5.6 has hit South Khorasan province in Iran, killing at least eight people and injuring 12. As of 6 December, no further information on the impact is available. Typhoon Bopha has made landfall in the southern Philippines on 4 December, carrying winds of up to 160 kilometres an hour. More than 294,000 people have been affected in seven provinces, according to Government estimates. Severe rains have affected at least 6,500 people in Panama, prompting the Government of Panama to declare a state of emergency for the regions of La Chorrera, Capira and Colón.

Storm Bopha is heading toward southern Philippines as thousands of people are evacuating in high-risk areas. The storm is expected to intensify to a typhoon and will make landfall in Northern Mindanao late on Tuesday night. Severe rains have affected at least 6,500 people in Panama prompting the Government of Panama to declare a state of emergency for the regions of La Chorrera, Capira and Colón.

The situation in Syria continues to deteriorate, with heavy fighting in Damascus, Homs, Aleppo, Deir al-Zor, Deraa as well as Idlib and Hama provinces.

More than 140,000 have been displaced in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, after rebel group M23 gained control over the regional capital Goma and surrounding areas. Heavy fighting between rebels and the military continues to rage nationwide in Syria, primarily in Aleppo, Damascus and Deir al-Zor governorates. A recently published WFP assessment revealed that about 1.3 million people (25% of the total population) are considered food insecure in Kyrgyzstan, due to high food prices.

Gaza has been under attack since Wednesday, when Israel launched a military offensive with the declared goal of deterring fighters in the Palestinian enclave from launching rockets into its territory. 84 Palestinians have reportedly been killed. Violence erupted in the eastern provinces of DRC, following a months-long calm, with the rebel group M23 advancing on the regional capital of Goma. Heavy fighting between rebels and the military continues to rage nationwide in Syria, primarily in Idlib, Deir al-Zor, Damascus and Aleppo governorates.

Both Guatemala and Myanmar were affected by earthquakes during the reporting period. On 7 November, an earthquake of 7.2 magnitude struck the pacific coast of Guatemala, affecting more than 600,000 people followed by a second quake of 6.2 magnitude on 11 November. There were no immediate reports of major infrastructural damage caused by the second earthquake. The 6.8 magnitude earthquake which struck in Myanmar on 10 November, meanwhile, damaged infrastructure but the full extent of the impact remains unclear.

In its resolution 60/124 of December
2005, the General Assembly of the United Nations sought to remedy two problems
that had bedevilled UN efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance in a
timely and effective manner.